Hail Storm + Van+Driving on I-35 = EXTREMLY SCARY!!!!

I was so excited all last week thinking about heading up to Sac City on August 9th for my Grandma's 30th birthday party (yep she's 30.......;) All week I had been thinking about the fried chicken and potato salad. My mom was evidently thinking about the Angel food cake!!

Anyways that's why we were headed to Sac City, was to see my Grandma, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and some good food.

My Mom and Dad and Sister had picked Brandon, Teagan, Harper, and I up at our house Sunday morning around 9 am. We headed down the road and realized we had forgot the camera. (we were only 1/2 mile down the gravel so we turned around) Then I told my Dad the best way to get to I-35 from our house instead of getting back on Hwy 30, we went through McCallsburg and Roland. Brandon and I had put an offer on a house in Roland about 3 years ago so we decided to drive by and see how it looked (We didn't get that house). It looked about the same and I don't think they ever did sell it. After that we were on are way. Alicia and Teagan were in the bucket seats of the Van playing games and reading books (Mccain Blog spot pg 1.)(Reference to Alicia's blog since I stole her line). We noticed it getting dark and decided to turn on the radio to check the weather but nothing was coming in. My Mom and Harper and I were sitting in the back and that's when the first piece of hail hit the van in the back. It was so loud we thought we hit something but didn't realize what it was until we just started getting pounded!!! I was so scared and grabbed a blanket and told Brandon to throw it over Teagan and I put the shade up on Harper's car seat. That's when I realized I was getting wet but I couldn't figure out where the water was coming from. Evidently a large piece of hail had hit the drivers side window and completely busted out the window. My Dad started to slow down but the hail just kept coming and the windshield was breaking more and more when he saw an overpass up ahead. We drove under the overpass and waited while more rain and hail continued to fall and the wind was blowing like crazy!! I called 911 because I didn't know whether we should get out of the car or what...We all thought we were in the middle of a tornado. Luckily we did not have to get out of the van and we made it out of the middle of the interstate before cars started flying by again once the storm had died down. We ended up driving about 10-15 minutes to get to Webster City to put plastic on the window, and get My Dad and Sister some new clothes because they were completely soaked. We still made it to Sac City....plastic window and all and I got to enjoy Fried chicken and Potato salad and seeing family. Just wish we didn't have to experience the "excitement" of the hail storm. I will never forget this day or think of storms the same.

Drivers Side window busted glass was all over!!

Dents on the drivers side of the van.

My Dad is pretty tough with a welt on the side of his face from getting hit by hail while driving!!

WE MADE IT TO SAC CITY!!! GREAT-GRANDMA HOLDING HARPER :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

This was by far the scariest thing I have ever been through but even through it all I realized all the little stuff God did to take care of us so there were only minor injuries. Examples: Where the car seats were placed in the van, forgetting the camera and having to go back, stopping to look at the house in Roland. If our timing would have been different we may have been passed that overpass and not able to seek shelter, If Teagan's Car seat would have been on the drivers side she may have gotten hurt, or if we would have put Harper in one of the bucket seats it would have been more difficult to protect both girls. The other thing was we were planning on driving up ourselves but instead my parents decided to bring up their van. If we would have been in our little car with both girls in back things could have been really bad. I truly believe God was looking out for us!!!!!!!!!! AMEN!